Edmonton/CMEDIA: Skate Canada has decided to stop holding national and International events in Alberta citing the province’s legislation on the participation of transgender athletes in women’s sport.
The organization said in a statement Tuesday that its decision was made following its assessment of Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act.
“Following a careful assessment of Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, Skate Canada has determined that we are unable to host events in the province while maintaining our national standards for safe and inclusive sport…We will continue to monitor legislative developments in the province and will reassess hosting opportunities as circumstances evolve.” the organization said in a statement.
Known as Bill 29, the legislation came into effect at the end of Sept and excludes athletes assigned male at birth from women’s sports teams.
As part of a trio of bills the province introduced last year, this bill serves to protect the well-being of children and youth, and increase parent access to information and decision-making power over children.
The Fairness and Safety in Sport Act is one of three laws affecting transgender health, education and sport introduced last year by Premier Danielle Smith’s United Conservative Party government.
With the laws sparking polarizing debate, and Smith’s government earlier this month invoked the Charter’s notwithstanding clause to shield them from court challenges for five years.
“Skate Canada considers a variety of criteria when selecting host locations for its national events,” the statement said. “Following a careful assessment of Alberta’s Fairness and Safety in Sport Act, Skate Canada has determined that we are unable to host events in the province while maintaining our national standards for safe and inclusive sport.”
The decision applies only to national- and international-level events and does not affect Alberta athletes’ ability to participate in Skate Canada programming and competitions, the organization said.
No upcoming national or international events are scheduled to be held in Alberta.
The 2025-26 Skate Canada Challenge was held in Calgary from Nov. 27-30, and the city also hosted the 2024 national championships.
Proponents, including Smith, say it’s about fairness on the playing field, so girls are not battling opponents with biological advantages. Detractors say it’s about stigmatizing and punishing those in the transgender community.
As a way of offering some relief, the government said that out-of-province transgender competitors are exempt from the ban and that this summer it doesn’t have the authority to regulate athletes from different jurisdictions, as outside sporting organizations are bound by out-of-province or international guidelines.
Skate Canada said it will continue to monitor legislative developments in the province and reassess hosting opportunities as circumstances evolve.
